Amberfeather's Bad Day
by kalim007
Summary: It was just supposed to be a typical day in the life of a K'Sheyna scout, but Amberfeather just wasn't having any luck. Join him and others as they all share the story of their bad days. Review, please!
1. The Start of Amberfeather's Day

As always, a quick disclaimer… I don't own anything about Valedmar, the Tayledras, or so on, blah blah blah. Many thanks to Mercedes Lackey for creating this wonderful world, and for allowing us to add to it in this small way!

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Amberfeather K'Sheyna was having a bad day. First, his bondbird Hyyeh had refused to leave his _ekele_, and just kept repeating :_sleep: _over and over until he gave up. Then when Amberfeather started his rounds on the route over which he was responsible as a scout, he quickly discovered that he truly was having a bad day.

He tripped over a tree root. Now, for many people, this would not be such a big deal, but for a Tayledras, who are famed for being able to blend in with nature and move silently around the woods, this was embarrassing.

_I hate Mondays_, Amberfeather thought angrily to himself.

To make tripping over the root worse, he was seen by another one of the scouts, who was assigned to the neighboring circuit. Winddancer was his age, and was a person that Amberfeather had wanted to get to know better, but what are the odds of that happening if he continually was doing things like tripping about awkwardly?

"Are you okay, Amberfeather?" Winddancer had asked him, and had obviously been suppressing giggles.

Amberfeather had managed to avoid growling at her, but had quickly excused himself and continued on his route.

Then, continuing on the same theme, Amberfeather had discovered a young _dyheli _buck stuck in a tree. The youngster had apparently been attempting to scratch his head on a suitable tree, but had gotten his antlers stuck. Amberfeather knew he could never leave him there, but he also knew that the buck was in a panic and would likely trample Amberfeather as soon as he was free.

Which he did, the second Amberfeather had managed to move the branches out of the way.

Amberfeather could only sigh, then continue on the route, hoping to himself that the rest of his time would be spent in a very non-interesting, non-exciting way.

He wasn't surprised when it didn't.

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That's it! My first chapter in my first fan fic! I am so proud… anyway. Thanks for reading, and if you have anything you'd like to tell me, please drop a line or two in a review… thanks! 


	2. The Storytelling Begins

That night, after his exhausting day of uncooperative bondbirds, panicked _dyheli_, and various other trials, he sank gratefully into his favorite pool. He was grateful it was empty, because he didn't feel like being very social right now. Of course, with the way his day was going so far, the pool didn't remain empty for long.

Amberfeather had already eaten his supper, provided by one of the Vale's ever-helpful _hertasi_, and was thinking of asking for something warm to drink when a veritable herd of people approached his pool. Seeing him in there alone, they stopped and looked at him, likely judging whether or not they would be welcome.

Winddancer had no such qualms.

"Come on, everyone, it's just Amberfeather," she called out, cheerfully. "He won't mind us joining him." She quickly stripped and entered the pool, choosing a seat along the side after putting her hair carefully on top of her head.

The others glanced at him as if to judge the truth of this statement, then seemed to give mental shrugs, and joined them in the pool.

Amberfeather looked around the pool at who had joined him. There were five others in total, three scouts and two mages in training. They were all of a similar age to Amberfeather, who was 17 himself.

"So, how was the rest of your day, Amberfeather?" asked Winddancer. "When I last saw you, you weren't very happy." She grinned at him impishly.

"Why weren't you happy?" asked Rainbird, one of the scouts. She rarely had much to say, but was a very kind person. She seemed genuinely concerned about Amberfeather's happiness.

"It was nothing," Amberfeather said, embarrassed. "Today was just a really… bad day."

"We've all had bad days, silly," Winddancer put in. "You don't need to be embarrassed." She looked at the others and said, "I caught him just as he fell over a very large tree root. He wasn't very happy that I caught him."

"Don't tease, Winddancer," rebuked Winterflower, one of the two mages, and the oldest in this group. "Amberfeather… I think we should listen to your tale of your bad day, then we should all share our stories about our bad days. It will pass the time, and I'm sure it'll make you feel better." She laughed, and added, "Plus, most of the stories are sure to make us all laugh."

Amberfeather glanced around the group.

"Yes, tell us your story, Amberfeather," Starsong said, "so we can tell you ours. I'm sure my bad day was worse than yours!" Starsong was a cheerful fellow, and his eyes sparkled with the delight about the coming stories.

Amberfeather sighed, and said, "Okay… here is the tale of my bad day."


	3. Amberfeather's Story

Amberfeather thought for a moment before he began. Storytelling in the Vale was not quite elevated to the level that it is in the Shin'a'in with their shamans, but it still was an art that they didn't take lightly.

"This morning, I woke up late, which always starts my day off with me feeling sour," he began, breathing through his nose to calm himself as the remembrances of his day threatened to cause him to feel stressed again. "I am not a morning person, and I do like the chance to slowly awaken, and the chance to break my fast very deliberately and in my sleeping robes. But I awakened late, so I needed to get up immediately."

Amberfeather glanced around the room to judge how his story was being received, and he saw many looks of interest and good humor. Feeling better, he continued a little more happily.

"I didn't even get a chance to eat a hot meal, but only had time to grab a piece of fruit that I could eat while I was on my scouting circuit. Hyyeh was also sleeping late, but he wouldn't even deign to awaken even when I him. He just kept sleeping! I should have known it was going to be a bad day since he always seems to be on top of everything… if I didn't know any better, I'd say he has a touch of ForeSight, as they've got in k'Valdemar!" Amberfeather laughed, and they all joined him.

"Your bird has ForeSight? Well, if that's the case, my bird has _hindsight_, the way he always scolds me whenever anything goes wrong, like he knew it wouldn't work, but I was too dumb to listen to him!" Winterflower added, which caused a further burst of hilarity before they settled and asked him to continue his story.

Amberfeather told them about Winddancer catching him tripping and shared how embarrassing that was, which only added to the annoyance of being hungry and grouchy from sleeping too long. He told them about the _dyheli _buck that he couldn't convince to remain calm, and had therefore trampled him once he was free.

"After being trampled, I was really in a mood. If anyone had been around me, they likely could have seen the black clouds surrounding me. Then Hyyeh shows up! It was not a good time for him to arrive. I was admittedly, regrettably extremely angry, and I took it out on him, by calling him a few choice words."

He smiled and reached a hand out to Hyyeh, who showed he didn't hold a grudge by allowing Amberfeather to stroke the soft feathers on his belly.

"Words like 'lazy,' 'featherbrained,' and the like didn't sit well with Hyyeh, so he promptly smacked me on the head with his wings and left. It was the sensible thing to do; I wasn't fit company for anyone. Of course he managed to hit a spot that was already a little sore from the _dyheli_, because otherwise, it wouldn't be keeping with my luck."

"It wasn't a good idea on my part to alienate Hyyeh, because I need him when I patrol," he gave Hyyeh a proud smile. "He is a very helpful bondbird, even more so than they normally are. Since he's a hawk, I can use him as an extra set of eyes to see things far away, and also to warn me if anything is not right."

The scouts nodded, understanding, and the mages looked thoughtful. Amberfeather knew that they chose their birds more for companionship and to assist with small errands such as message delivering, so they might not be familiar with this concept.

"After he left, things became even worse! I continued on my route, and I met with signs of someone having passed through the woods. There were broken branches and other signs of passage, which you know couldn't come from any of us; we all know better. Besides, why would anyone be outside the Vale?"

Amberfeather paused in his story to take a quick drink of his _chava, _allowing the creamy taste to sooth his throat.

"I decided to not follow the intruder's trail on the ground, and instead put on my climbing gear and began working my way through the trees. I followed the signs, and found him, sleeping all stretched out on the ground.

"I didn't want to have to hurt him, of course, but knew I would have to remove the threat to the Vale if he didn't accept the fact he was trespassing and not welcome. Normally, I simply don't approach strangers unless I have several others as backup, as it just makes sense that way. No sense endangering myself when it is easy to get the two closest to me to drift toward me, in case I need back up.

"Of course, this is when Hyyeh would have be invaluable help… he simply would alert the closest bondbirds and have them tell their bondmates that I needed assistance. Since I didn't have Hyyeh, I had to do it myself, so I had to hike back the way I had come, extra quietly, and talk to other scouts."

Amberfeather stopped here, and looked embarrassed again. "I couldn't find anyone! I knew that Winddancer was nearby, because I had seen her, but she might as well have vanished for all I could locate her or any trace of her. I then began to worry that the sleeping trespasser had done something to her. I looked for Silvercloud, but he was nowhere to be found, either.

"To make a long story shorter, I panicked, and began tearing through the woods like a madman. Winddancer _and _Silvercloud both appeared suddenly, intent on shooting me through the heart, because obviously I was an Outlander, since no Hawkbrother would make that much noise!

"It's a miracle I didn't shoot him," admitted Winddancer. "He was running and yelling and carrying on, and I knew Amberfeather wasn't like that!"

Amberfeather blushed. He hated appearing this way in front of Winddancer. He had been considering offering her a feather since he wanted to get to know her better, much better, but knew he would never be brave enough after all of the embarrassing things Winddancer had witnessed. Oh, well. He was young, and he supposed he could always ask to be sent to k'Treva or somewhere else to live.

"So not only did I look like a fool, I apparently had been unable to follow the regular signs to where they were. In the mean time, they had discovered my little interloper and had taken care of it for me. This made me feel even stupider."

"So after that, "Amberfeather started again in a rush, determined to finish up this list of his faults, "I tried to pretend nothing had happened, but I felt wretched."

"I then tore my new shirt on a branch I walked too close to, I lost one of my boots inexplicably when I took it off to remove a rock, I got lost trying to return to the Vale, and when I did finally got back, I went straight to my _ekele _and ripped up one of the new plants I had planted." Amberfeather shook his head after these final events, and sighed with relief. "I must say I do feel better now, though I'm not sure if it is because I am relaxing in this lovely pool, or getting it off my chest."

He smiled at the people who had come to join him. "Okay, who's next? I want to hear something to make me feel better!"

There was a brief silence as everyone looked around the pool as if seeing who would volunteer. Winterflower stretched lazily, and piled her hair on top of her head, attempting to keep it out of the water.

"I will," she said, and leaned back in the water. "Let's see… how shall I begin?"

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Thank you for making it this far! I will update very soon (maybe the 1st week or so of January?) Let me know how it's going, if you like it... etc. Reviews encourage writers, don't ever let anyone tell you differently! 


	4. Winterflower's Story

Well, it's been awhile since I made sure everyone knows I don't own this world… so again, I don't own it. **sniff**

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Winterflower looked around the group calmly. She continued to fix her hair, as she clearly worked at organizing her thoughts. Winterflower was a perfect name for this calm mage, since the flowers of winter must be strong, but also patient to await the spring. Amberfeather had noticed her before, and admired her quiet beauty, even though she was not part of his normal social circle. In fact, even though he admired her, she scared him, because she was so calm and capable.

"Let's see… I have had more than one bad day that would make a good tale," she said, smiling around the circle. "I think I will pick the day I started my mage training."

Winterflower settled back and began.

"It was a day that every mage child looks forward to: the day you are assigned to a teacher to actually begin to work some of the magics you have seen others use. I didn't come into my magic until I was almost 15, so I was older than most."

Winterflower appraised the group's attention, much like Amberfeather had done. Liking what she saw, she smiled and kept going.

"Most of you are scouts, and so haven't really had too much direct contact with mages or magic, since we are all young enough to still be in training. Even at my lofty old age," she stopped talking for a moment and postured in a very serious, mature way, then gave up and laughed, "I am still a very young mage."

"I had always wanted to be a mage. Until I actually came into my power, I was being trained as a scout, but of course I hadn't gotten too far into my training.

"I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but I didn't want to be a scout at all. I hated tramping through the woods, I hated having to always be alert for someone to approach, I even hated the bondbirds, because they were so large. I simply didn't want to be a scout, so this didn't make for the best attitude." She gave a self-deprecating smile. "Quite simply, to sum it up, I was a brat."

"You couldn't have been!" exclaimed Winddancer. "You are so easy-going and …" She gave up trying to think of another adjective and just shook her head. "I don't believe it!"

"Believe it," interjected Starsong. As a mage as well, he knew all about Winterflower and her attitude, as it was held up as a lesson to all of the new mages. "She was so bad that they are _still_ using her as part of the training course, as a warning!"

There were varying expressions of disbelief and amusement. Winterflower just smiled.

"Yes, I was a brat. I hated everything about my life, and consequently I was not very gracious about what I was expected to do."

She told quickly about how she refused to do anything her teacher told her, how she would leave her post and return to her _ekele _whenever they were not actively watching her, how she even sabotaged others as they tried to get their work done.

"When I came into my powers, I was thrilled. The life I had always wanted for myself was suddenly put in front of me, on a silver plate, looking as if it were designed by a great _hertasi _artist. But then, when I went to my teacher to tell him how I would never again be coming for his tutelage, he smiled calmly and said simply, "We'll see." I thought that was a little strange, but didn't let it worry me, as I was simply too excited."

"I then ran to tell my parents. They also just smiled and said that I would have to see what tomorrow brought."

"The next day I got up bright and early. I ran down the steps from my _ekele _to the clearing where the mage students gather. I didn't stop for breakfast or anything other than a quick change of clothes."

"As I stood there, I noticed that no one would look at me. I didn't think anything was strange about this, but I did feel a little let down since I hadn't let myself make friends with the scouts because I hated the training so I just knew I didn't have anything in common with any of them, and I knew they'd just be frightful bores."

She stopped to exchange grins with Winddancer, Rainbird, and Silvercloud.

"Of course, I didn't know they'd be such wonderful people of such wonderful…" Silvercloud interrupted her continuing flowery praise of the scouts.

"Winterflower! I know we're wonderful, but I want to hear the rest of your story!" Silvercloud said impatiently.

"Okay, okay," laughed Winterflower. "I stood there while each of the students were taken by their mage teacher one by one. Soon I was the only one left. I kept standing there, telling myself that soon, someone would come for me. I told myself that for about 3 hours."

"Wow. You are one determined woman," Amberfeather said admiringly. "I would have given up after one hour."

"Yes, I am stubborn all right. After waiting, I decided to go to my parent's _ekele _and see if they knew who was supposed to be working with me. If they could tell me, I could just go to their _ekele _and see what the hold up was." She smiled sadly. "I even told myself that they would be happy to see me appear at their _ekele _since they obviously were in the middle of something very complicated and important and could use my help."

Starsong laughed. He knew that the odds of a mage who was experienced enough to be a teacher needed a students help, on the first day yet, were nonexistent.

Winterflower smiled at him, but didn't explain to the rest of the group. She figured they could guess that, but if not, it was too embarrassing.

"When I asked my parents if they knew the name of my teacher, they said yes. I knew it! I was right! I had been assigned to a very busy mage, and everyone knows that sometimes mages are forgetful, so maybe it was one of those! I felt better already."

"I waited impatiently for them to tell me the coveted name. They calmly stared back at me. Finally, I demanded the name."

"Sunsong, they said simply." Winterflower's face mirrored the confusion she felt then. "I truly didn't know what they were talking about."

Winterflower told them about how she refused to accept it, and how her parents said she was going to be trained as a scout, since her last teacher did not release her from his training. She told of her anger, and how she ran to the _ekele _of the village elder in charge of the mages. She pounded on his door and demanded to be admitted, and demanded many things besides. He simply told her that no one without the heart of a servant that holds the interests of the Vale over their own will be allowed to learn something as potentially dangerous as magic. She would be given a short time to see if she settles down, but if not, she would have her mage ability removed.

"I was horrified. I didn't think I had been that bad. Because I was so unhappy with my assignment, I had never stopped to think about anything or anybody else. I was embarrassed, but not until I left the elder's _ekele _did I learn the fullness of my embarrassment."

"I was held up as an example of how one must not just think of oneself. I was an embarrassment to the entire Vale. I'm not sure how you missed hearing about me, Winddancer. As I walked, I heard many of the mages discussing me and my attitude, and how they need to guard against becoming a Winterflower. That was so embarrassing, I wanted to change my name right then and there."

"I had to go back to Sunsong and beg his forgiveness. I could not receive another teacher until he released me, but as the elder had told me, Sunsong didn't have to take me back. He could just let me coast, and assign me to boring, routine scouting jobs for the rest of my life."

"Luckily, Sunsong doesn't hold grudges. He immediately accepted me, but told me that I would not be released immediately. I had embarrassed him by being so horrid, and I had to have a new attitude and apply myself to his training so that he would not be shamed any longer to have me as a student. I agreed, of course, and became a much better person for it."

Winterflower stopped talking and looked around the group. They all bore looks of shocked disbelief. They had not known about this. Winterflower was, quite simply, one of the darlings of the mages now, and was quickly on her way to becoming one of the most important mages in the Vale. She was patient and thorough, and always willing to give anyone who needed it a hand.

Amberfeather shook his head. "I cannot believe it, Winterflower! Well, it does make me feel better about today, but I still think that mine was more embarrassing." He thought about it, then quickly changed his mind. "No, not more embarrassing, but easier to laugh at me. I don't feel like laughing at you… it makes me admire you since you obviously put so much effort into changing. But how embarrassing to be used as a lesson… for much younger students, as well!"

Winterflower smiled. "I do have another bad day story, and this one is not really embarrassing, but almost humorous now, as it has been long enough that I am separated from it and it now longer depresses me. But it's not my turn any longer. Maybe I will tell the tale later, but I think it is Rainbird's turn."

Rainbird nodded, and said, "Sure, I'll go next. Thank you, Winterflower, for being so willing to trust us with that story!"

The others echoed Rainbird's thanks, then turned their eyes on the next storyteller.

"Let's see…" Rainbird started, "I think I will tell you about my first day on my own as a scout… without my teacher, and when I got my very own patrol."

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Well that's it for Winterflower's story! Please review and tell me anything that I can use to improve the story. Winterflower's turned out to be more serious than funny (sorry), but Rainbird's is next, and hers is definitely funnier… Thanks for reading! 


	5. Rainbird's Story

Rainbird was a very happy sort, Amberfeather knew. Everyone loved her, and she was as bright and cheerful as one of the pretty birds that lived in the Vale and were used as messengers. He never could remember her being anything less that cheerful, not matter what. He had never seen a look like the one currently on her face, as she thought how she was going to start her story.

"Well, mine is not quite as tragic as Winterflower's," Rainbird started, "and it's really more like Amberfeather's. One of those days that just nothing worked out."

"That's perfect!" exclaimed Amberfeather. "It'll make me feel even better, knowing that someone else can feel as depressed as I was over things that really aren't life-shattering." He thought about how it sounded, and blushed. "Of course, I'm still sorry you had to go through that day…"

Rainbird laughed, and told him she understood what he was trying to say.

"My bad day was the first day I was scouting with Tareth. I had just been promoted by my teacher to being able to go out on my own and having my own area of responsibility. I had also just bonded with Tareth. It was a late bonding, because I couldn't find a bird that was a fit with my personality, or something." She smiled, then said, "Or, at least, no parents were willing to trust their precious eyas to me."

"I had not bonded more than a week, and I had just gotten the hang of being able to talk to her. Tareth was older when we bonded, not a young bird at all, but more of a young adult, and so able to fly. My teacher warned me as he promoted me that I needed to be careful since I did not know how Tareth would react to things, or how I would react to her. I didn't listen."

"We set out, and I was so proud to be on my very own circuit. I asked Tareth to scout ahead and tell me if there was anything there, and I would follow slowly. I walked for a few minutes, and then I decided that I wanted to practice tree-walking. I got out my stuff, and quickly scaled the tree. I then continued the way Tareth had gone, moving from tree to tree."

Starsong shuddered theatrically. "I cannot understand how you can do that! Go skipping from tree to tree like that! I must confess I was thrilled to find I would be a mage… I just _knew _that the second I tried it, I would fall and break my neck." He joined the laughter of everyone, then quickly said, "Sorry, Rainbird… I won't interrupt again. I just didn't know you were telling a _horror _story!"

"It's only a horror story to you, you great goof," answered Rainbird. "Now be quiet!"

She adjusted her position in the pool and said, after shooting a mock-glare at Starsong, "Now, where was I?"

"Tareth then came winging in, screeching alarm. I just _knew _that she had seen something terrible, and I needed to know what it was immediately. So I quickly mind-linked to her."

All of the assembled young people groaned. They all had bondbirds, and they knew that the first time you mind-linked with your bird, it was _very _disorientating. It was not a good idea to do that in the middle of your scouting circuit, let alone in the treetops.

"You guessed it; I was immediately confused by all of the information that I was getting from Tareth. I saw things that looked like great monsters, but turned out to be trees. I couldn't break the link, so I just started screaming in terror."

She looked chagrined, and continued. "Luckily, my teacher had followed me, since it was just my first day. He knew I would do something foolish, he said, though he wasn't sure how he'd known. He caught me as I feel out of the tree, and talked me through closing my eyes and convinced me I would die."

"What was Tareth doing this whole time?" asked Silvercloud. "My Erlin would have been attacking everything in sight. But, then, he is a bit… overprotective…"

"That was the most embarrassing thing yet. Tareth was standing on the ground next to us, staring at me like I had lost my mind. When my teacher talked me through the _proper _way to mind-link, I saw that what Tareth had spotted was a rabbit burrow surrounded by rabbits out of it eating lunch! She was just excited, and was asking permission to hunt!" As Rainbird thought of that day again, she started to laugh.

Everyone laughed along with her.

"That is embarrassing, Rainbird. Especially since you were so proud of being all grown up and having your own patrol." Amberfeather could picture what he would have felt if that had happened to him, and shuddered. He told Rainbird, "I know I shouldn't like hearing these stories, but they sure are improving my mood!"

"That's why we're telling them," said Winterflower. "Okay, now I think it is Starsong or Silvercloud's turn. We've had two girls in a row, so now it's a boy's turn."

The two young men looked at each other, and seemed to come to a quick silent agreement.

"I'll go next, Winterflower, though you sure are bossy!" Silvercloud said. "I think my most embarrassing day was the day that some of my "friends" decided to play a trick on me…"

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Thank you for making it this far! Silvercloud had some very not-very-nice friends, and his bad moment was definitely embarrassing… something about moving the signs on the paths to garden pools so it said that it didn't say "privacy wanted" when it definitely was…

Anyway. As a completely off-topic, side note, I just wanted to mention the fact that I detest my apartment complex. They are turning our apartment complex into condos (and don't buy them; they are a pile of junk) and they have blocked our satellite dish for over 3 months now. NO TELEVISION! I don't watch it that much, but still, it's now officially annoying. They also destroyed our walls (the outside ones, you know, the ones that keep the outside _outside_) and now the entry way is molding. I HATE THEM. Thank you for listening to my rant.

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Author's Note UPDATED 3/21/07 I am SO sorry I haven't updated in quite awhile. I was doing so well… Anyway. I have moved now (see apartment woes above) and I also got a new computer, so everything is crazy right now. All of my story stuff is on the _old _computer, and I can't manage to get the stuff off of it onto the new one… however, I am feeling the writing itch, so I will simply have to do something soon, or go crazy. Look for poor Silvercloud's story within the next week or so… and I am already planning a little story detailing Amberfeather's and Winddancer's growing friendship… so be on the lookout for that, as well, once this one finishes up. Thanks for reading, and a review or two will really encourage me to keep writing!

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Author's Note 4/22/07 - I have updated! Yay! Thanks for sticking around... please review so I can improve my writing... what worked really well? What didn't? Everything helps!


	6. Silvercloud's Story

Silvercloud sat silently for a moment, thinking about how he was going to tell his story. Taking a deep breath, he began.

"We all are using this lovely pool here. It's a lovely time we're having, right? We are all loving the warmth, the healthy plants surrounding us, and the wonderful feeling of security, of know we're safe inside the Vale. Right?" Silvercloud stopped and waited, expectantly.

"Yes, we are, Silvercloud," agreed Winddancer, though she sounded a bit confused. "Do you have a point somewhere in your effusive praise for this pool?"

"Oh, don't embarrass the lad," said Winterflower, lazily. "If you stop him now, he won't get started again. You know how shy young men can be." She gave Silvercloud a wicked look, and winked at him.

"Be quiet, Winterflower!" laughed Silvercloud. "I know you know this story, but it was my most embarrassing day, so I am going to tell it!"

"Yes, yes, I'll be quiet," agreed Winterflower.

Amberfeather looked between the two of them and smiled. It was obvious (at least to him!) that they were good friends, with the type of easy relationship that easily withstands the sort of mild teasing they were participating in currently.

"Well, anyway, since Winterflower has so graciously agreed to let me continue," he stopped to give Winterflower a mock bow, which she accepted with a stately nod of her head, "let me remind you that I was detailing the wonders of our Vale and the pools."

He paused a second to make sure everyone was with him, then went on.

"Now, as wonderful a time as we're having here, relaxing, there are other uses to our pools, right? In the cold pools, you can jump in to invigorate yourself, or wake yourself up. In the hot pools, you can instantly relax tense muscles." He glanced around, and saw everyone nodding, listening intently.

"You can also use the pools to further your… conquests, shall we say?" He grinned at the gathered crowd as they smiled when they realized where his story must be headed.

"I was only a young lad," he paused here for a glare at Winterflower to stop her from protesting he was still only a young lad, "and was shy around the opposite sex. However, I wanted to join the ranks of men, and be able to say (to myself only of course, because I am a gentleman who would _never _bandy about the names of my partners) that I have enjoyed _all _the pleasures the pool has to offer."

"So I find a young lady to share an evening with. I planned it carefully, being a truly romantic soul, to overwhelm the lady with the sheer romance of the night. So that she would accept anything, including my invitation to share a romantic interlude in a moonlit pool." Silvercloud sighed dramatically, putting his hand over his heart.

"Everything went _perfectly_," he continued, emphasizing perfectly with a wicked grin and raised eyebrows.

"Until…" he stopped there, and waited.

He didn't have long to wait.

"Silvercloud!" chorused Winddancer and Rainbird. "You can't stop there!" continued Winddancer.

"The girls are right, Silvercloud," agreed Starsong. "It's terribly cruel of you to stop your story in such a critical place."

Winterflower just smiled, and waited patiently for him to continue, knowing the outcome and enjoying his skilled storytelling.

"Okay, okay!" laughed Silvercloud, as they all started threatening to splash him.

"Well, you know how the pools work. There are those charming little markers that you can use, that let anyone interested in using the pool you are currently using that they should find another place to go. Of course, there is also a marking for 'Come and join us, we need more participants, all welcome,' which, as a callow, shy youth, I was _very _careful to NOT put out."

"My friends, however, did not have such caution as they switched my marker indicating 'Privacy Needed,' to 'Come Join the Fun!'" Silvercloud covered his face in mock-embarrassment.

The people listening to the story hooted with laughter. They knew just the type of people who would likely respond to that sign, and as they thought back to their own first encounters in the pools, they remembered how they were embarrassed enough with just themselves and their partners. To add in others… and others that were highly… energetic? Terrible!

"There I was, attempting to create a calm, sweetly romantic atmosphere for our lovely time, and there comes a large group of people." He sighed, sadly. "Let me tell you… my lovely lady was just as youthful and embarrassed as I, so she quickly fled the scene, after a terse and, I feel, overly harsh comment on my mental prowess. Apparently, she felt that if I could not even read the sign I was putting out in front of a pool, I was obviously a half-wit or worse."

"Oh, Silvercloud. You were so funny that day!" laughed Winterflower, her eyes dancing with glee. "I saw, him, you see, as he was running away from the scene. He didn't stop to dress himself, as he was determined to talk to his lady friend before she escaped completely. He didn't catch her… but he did catch his friends, who were falling all over themselves laughing."

Amberfeather laughed delightedly. "They _didn't!" _

"They did," Silvercloud said, good-naturedly. "I wasn't friends with them for awhile, but then I cooled off. It was helped by my finally being able to use a pool in the way I had been attempting."

He thought a second, then continued, "Of course, it wasn't with my original lady-friend. She still hasn't spoken to me. Even though my friends and I have all tried to explain, she just says she cannot share anything with people who are so careless as to make friends with 'the type of people who would joke about a thing like that!'"

They all laughed, and then sat quietly, reflecting on the bad days that had been shared so far.

"Okay, enough about me!" said Silvercloud. "It's time for someone else to share their embarrassment."

"Winddancer and Starsong, you two are still owing a story," said Rainbird, smiling happily at both of them. "Which of you would rather go next?"

The two remaining storytellers glanced at each other questioningly. They both shrugged, and said they didn't care who was next.

"Okay," said Amberfeather. "I will pick which goes next… let me think…"'

* * *

Thank you SO much for reading this far! For those of you who have been reading this story as I have been writing it, I'm terribly sorry it has taken so long to get it updated. Moving, a new computer, illness, and just general malaise has caused me to have difficulty getting it updated… for those of you lovely readers who reside in Florida, ever heard of a lovely thing called FCAT? As a teacher, that kept me just a trifle busy recently… :o) I will try to get you the next installment ASAP.

Review to encourage me to keep going!


	7. Starsong's Story

Amberfeather glanced at the two storytellers left, weighing his options. He wanted to hear Winddancer's story, of course, because it was all her fault everyone learned of his embarrassment… but he didn't want to make her go next. For some reason, he was embarrassed now at the thought.

He looked at Winddancer, who met his gaze head on. Blushing, he quickly looked once more at Starsong, who grinned at him knowingly. "I'll go next, brother, if you wish."

"Thank you," Amberfeather said, gratefully.

Starsong was a very easygoing, happy guy. Amberfeather knew he had seen his embarrassment, and was trying to make sure no one else noticed it.

Starsong smiled around at the group, and pointed out, "Just one left after me! Of course, Winddancer really should go before me. My story will be much better than hers. That's just a given." He ducked a playful blow aimed at him by Winddancer, then settled himself in his preferred storytelling position.

"My story is similar to Silvercloud's story, really." This brought a round of hoots and hollers that caused him to pause, then continue.

"You all know, when us guys get in trouble, it's usually over the girls. I know you can't help being so lovely, ladies," he said with a bow, to which Winterflower inclined her head to accept the compliment and the rest of the girls just giggled, "but being young men, we just don't know quite how to deal with you."

He brushed his hair out of his eyes, and continued. "I am a really nice guy. Girls like to tell me this, so I know I am loved by all and beloved by no one. This used to make me sad, but I remembered that I am young, and haven't really met anyone I can see sharing a Vale with the rest of my life. Present company excepted, I'm sure!" He added this, obviously trying to avoid getting splashed. It didn't work… it was obvious he was full of it, so they dutifully splashed in his direction.

"Please! I am trying to tell a story here!" he said, dodging yet again.

"We're not stopping you," Rainbird answered.

"Well, as I was trying to say, I am a nice guy. I try to be helpful, be a good friend, and so on, and try really hard to be there for the female inhabitants of our Vale. I have saved many a young girl from embarrassment as she tries to avoid a freshly broken up partner." He paused here, checking to see the reactions. Everyone was listening, interest on their faces.

"Sometimes, though, I want to help, even though my help is not wanted. At all. I was walking through the Vale, minding my own business, headed… I think I was headed to this very pool, in fact! And I heard a strange noise."

"This noise was nothing _I've _ever heard before," he said, emphasizing his confusion in his voice and manner. "It was a strange noise, almost a keening sound. I was confused, but wasn't worried. I figured, if there were something wrong, I'd get a sure sign."

"Then I heard different noises. Coming from around the same area, and I still was confused. Then I heard a woman's voice, repeating something over and over, in a soft, little voice, one that sounded almost scared."

Silvercloud was grinning, already knowing what was coming. Amberfeather looked like he had his suspicions, and wasn't sure whether or not to laugh. The girls hadn't caught on yet, though, so Starsong kept going, wanting to be the ones to tell them what happened, rather than them figuring it out.

"Well, I was really interested now. And I was worried. What if someone needed help? I followed the sound, and as I got closer, I heard the woman saying, 'No, no, no!' over and over again. Now I was running down the path, rushing to save this woman. I could not imagine what was going on. I was not paying attention to anything but the sound, trying to follow it."

He stopped here, and looked around again. "I don't want to go on! This really _is _embarrassing. I'm glad I didn't go first!" He gave Amberfeather a sympathetic look.

"Oh, stop your whining and finish!" demanded Winddancer.

Starsong sighed, then continued.

"Well, as you may have already guessed," nodding to the guys, "I very naively ran straight into an area marked out for privacy. A pair were enjoying the cool of the evening by discovering new ways to keep warm. Apparently, the female in the pair was quite… vocal. I had never heard any of those sounds before. I didn't know it was even possible." He looked quite embarrassed, but took a deep breath to finish up quickly.

"I quickly tried to backtrack, but of course they wanted to have a quick discussion about why I had ignored the privacy marker. I explained, and they were both very understanding, and very amused. I was so embarrassed I ran home and didn't come out until the next day. It was a terrible day."

"You'd think, with all the mage training I have received about being calm, thinking things through, and so forth, that I would not have done something as foolish as this, but it wasn't to be." After a final sigh, then he looked at Winddancer.

"I am finished! It is YOUR turn next, and I want a really juicy story. It'd better be good. I want to wipe out my memory of my own problem. After all, it just happened a week ago." This information brought a fresh round of laughter.

"Just a week ago, 'Song? You poor baby. Maybe I should work with you on learning to determine what those sounds are… and what to do next time you hear them. Hopefully they'll be directed at you!" Winterflower gave him a measuring look, which he returned with good humor, and not a little interest.

"Knock it off, you two! If you want to do a little private tutoring, Winterflower, take him somewhere else. I certainly don't want to be here for it." Winddancer sounded amused but strangely nervous. She didn't look like she was looking forward to telling her tale, but fair was fair, and she looked to be resigning herself to the inevitable.

"Okay, before you all start clamoring for your story, I will start," Winddancer told them, almost crossly.

_She seemed to have forgotten it was her idea in the first place!_ Amberfeather thought.

"Well, the story I'm going to tell you today…" Winddancer began.

* * *

Well, there it is! The latest chapter in the drama! One more chapter is coming, hopefully soon, to tell you Winddancer's story, then we'll wrap it up. Please read and review... it is a great encouragement. Thanks for reading!


	8. Winddancer's Story

Winddancer paused in her story, even though she had only said so far she was going to tell them all a story. It was clear she didn't really want to tell one, but it was equally clear to her, after glancing around, that she was not going to be able to get out of it.

_I should never have started this, _Winddancer thought to herself. _Why did I start this?_ Remembering it was to make Amberfeather feel better, a task she was surprisingly keen on doing, she felt better. Even though she didn't really want to look the fool in front of Amberfeather, the thought of him tripping about the forest reminded her he had already looked like a fool in front of her, and he was hardly likely to decide he didn't like her based on her story.

"I am going to tell you about the day I turned 14," Winddancer stated, calmly.

"I had just recently started my scout's training. I was disappointed not to be chosen as a mage, but since I had no magical gift, this was expected. Depressing, but expected."

She quickly gauged her audiences' attention by giving each of the listener's a look, then decided that they needed more to drink and munch on before she continued. After getting more from a nearby _hertasi, _she gave it to Winterflower who started passing it out as Winddancer continued with her story.

"I was chosen a few weeks before my birthday by a mother bondbird to get one of her latest hatchlings, but they weren't old enough to be without their parents yet, so I hadn't met them. I just knew that I was going to get an awesome bird, a beautiful hawk of some sort, and impress everyone with him, since I couldn't be a big impressive mage."

"On my birthday, I was summoned by my master, who told me it was time to meet my new bondbird. I was thrilled, and excited, and overwhelmed, and so many other things I couldn't bear the excitement. I was to have a party that evening for my friends and family to celebrate my birthday with me, and I couldn't wait to show off my gorgeous new bird."

She paused, and seemed to remember something. She then shook her head and continued.

"I'm not sure if you guys are aware of this, but I am my parents only child, and I was raised pretty close to home. My mother was injured as a young scout, and she is a little… paranoid," Winddancer said, wryly. "She never truly let me out of her sight, so I didn't get to see other young people training, getting their birds, or anything like that. The only time I saw anyone with a bird was my father. Mother's bird had died when I was little, and she hasn't bonded again."

"So keeping that information in mind," she said, smiling, "I went with my master to the nest of my new bondbird. After the parents looked me over, they chose one of their babies for me. They pushed him forward, so that I could accept him. I gave him a good looking over, and I realized one thing." She paused to make it more dramatic. "The little fledgling that was to be my new bondbird was… _ugly_.

She stopped her story for a minute while they laughed.

"If you really had only seen your father's bondbird before, I'll bet you _were_ surprised!" Silvercloud said, grinning widely.

"I never knew that baby birds were so ugly. I became convinced that I was being punished for something. Okay, fine, I can't be a mage. I will be a scout, but I will have a gorgeous, strong bondbird, and we'll be the best partners, and we'll work together perfectly…" She let her voice trail off.

"There I was, with this daydream I had played through my mind ever since I had heard I would be getting my bird, where all the other trainee scouts and even the trainee mages would be impressed and jealous of my perfect, gorgeous bondbird. When I heard I would be getting her (because of course, my bird would be a girl, so we can show how strong girls really are!) on my birthday, I was even more ecstatic, because I knew I would get the chance to walk into my party with my bird on my shoulder."

"But then I was confronted with the reality of the ugliness of my brand-new fledgling bird." She put her hand up and sent a mindcall to her bird. He came and gently landed on her outstretched arm, then sidled up to perch on her shoulder. He began nibbling on her ear affectionately as they all laughed again at the sight of this bird, who might be many things, but was _not _ugly.

"You do need to remember I was just 14, not the most reasonable of ages," Winddancer reminded them, sounding embarrassed. "I feel quite ashamed as I think of the nasty things I thought when I first saw Reyyath."

"Well, to make a long story short, I pitched a fit. A screaming fit, to be more precise. I shook the branches above my head and scared all of the fledglings and I really think I almost gave my calm old master a heart attack. I swore that I would _never _bond with that ugly little thing, thank you very much! I will not be laughed at or shamed!"

"My master must have understood where I was coming from, because unlike what many people would have done, he very quietly and calmly excused us from the birds, after begging their apology, and guided me into the woods where I continued to yell. He waited a little bit to see if I was going to quit, but since I didn't, he slapped me efficiently across the face, then watched me to see if I would need another slap. I could tell he would do it again without pause so I stopped. I'm not completely stupid," she said, with a wry grin.

"That sounds like something I would have done at that age, too, Winddancer," interrupted Starsong. "I think we've both grown up admirably since then."

"Thanks, Starsong," Winddancer said simply. "That does make me feel better. Slightly."

"Anyway, my master knew about how I was raised, so he quietly explained about how all fledglings look like this, everyone's bondbird started out small and… I can't remember what word he used, but it wasn't ugly. It was something much nicer. I just had never seen any. Everyone who has their bird will remember how their own bird looked when they first bonded and think that yours is cute, since he will remind them of their own."

"He went on for awhile until I was calm, then comforted me when I sobbed. Then he smacked my cheeks and told me to stop being a baby, and let's go and meet your bondbird the _right_ way. He is the baby between you two right now, so you will have to take very good care of him until he's able to take care of you."

Winddancer laughed, and told them she didn't think that the parents of Reyyath we all that thrilled to be giving up their baby to her, but how she was very apologetic. "I'm not sure how much they understood, but they looked much happier as I cooed over him, because I had realized he _was _cute… just not what I had expected."

"The end," Winddancer said, almost unnecessarily. She looked quite glad to have her story over, and glanced at Amberfeather to see what he thought. He was smiling at her sympathetically. She took heart from his gaze, since it didn't seem to hold any ridicule.

Everyone thanked Winddancer for trusting them with her story, then they fell silent, just enjoying soaking in the warm pool.

"This was a great idea, everyone!" Amberfeather finally said, breaking the calm silence. "It has made me feel much, much better. I think I can honestly say I can go to sleep tonight, and not be tortured with horrible nightmares!"

With tacit agreement, everyone gathered up their belongings and bid each other good night, after ensuring that they get together again. They all had felt as if they were making new friends, and not just casual acquaintances, and they wanted to make sure they would not drift apart. _It had been a good night spent in the pond_, they all decided as they each headed to their _ekele._

* * *

I finally finished it! Thank you very much if you have been reading all along, and eagerly anticipating the updates. I am writing a sequel to this story, so if you were fond of some of the characters, look for them to appear again! Please review this story so I know what worked and what didn't, and also feel free to email me and let me know what you want to see in a future story. Thanks! 


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